Recycling has been a goal of environmentalists for decades. The popularity of recycling has had some up-swing but programs have had disadvantages for lack of handy home facilities.
A can crusher, for example, is often in an unhandy position. Twin containers with plastic linings, one for reclyables and one for other waste have had no convenient and popular product design.
Many homes and apartments simply do not have space set aside for handy storage, and gripping of much used kitchen and janitorial tools.
An objective hereof is to provide a work center on wheels, a cart having horizontal work space and having positions for the mounting of these many tools and facilities. Its housing can be made of wood, metal, or of thermoplastic in many attractive shapes.
An important feature is to recognize the problem of storage of a wheeled carrier for bringing groceries in from a car and movement of luggage. Space is at a premium in homes and apartments. The work center to a wheeled cart with open top when needed.
Efficiency, as time studies could show, is gained by being able to move many tools quickly to a work location, where they are quickly reached, saving space also.
The work center hereof has a practical place in a home kitchen, in these times of recycling and ecology, potentially as the next main utility after the sink, stove, and refrigerator.
It has been common for can crushers to be attached to cabinets, or under sinks, but to have one out and available is an objective hereof. The availability is enhanced by mounting the can crusher on a wheel cart so that the crusher can be moved quickly to where the cans are, perhaps to a different room. There would be no need to bring a pile or piles of cans to the crusher.
A dinner table can be kept looking as attractive as possible by disposing emptied dishes onto the cart since the work center can be wheeled close to a family dinner table.
The crusher-cart can be positioned where a waste container usually sits and, by also having space on the work center for one or more waste containers, no extra space is needed. One compact unit takes care, then, of waste disposal and can crushing both.
An extra feature is to have the frame of the center form a box opening so that when tipped into wheel-cart position, the frame-box is open at its top and can receive a load, unhampered by the removed items such as a can crusher, waste receptacles, and one or more removable shelves. Such a wheel-cart use is valuable in moving heavy items, such as luggage, or a load of groceries.
The wheel-cart can hold many tools and readily-reachable items mounted on it for handiness and speed in this busy, busy, life.
A modular work structure comprises a plurality of shelves positioned between and attached to parallel sides. A back and a floor are provided for the structure. A clock is mounted near the top of the structure. On the right exterior are mounted an aluminum can crusher, a first aid kit, a dust pan and a broom. On the left exterior are mounted a paper towel dispenser, a can opener, a bottle opener, a fire extinguisher, and a mop. Adequate interior cubage is provided for storage of recyclable materials comprising glass, aluminum, and newspapers. Within the structure on a lower shelf are apertures providing access to containers for trash and for recyclable materials. Interior shelves are removable, providing conversion to a hand truck.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a recycling and work center of high efficiency in time study, in cubage, in convenience, and in safety. It is a further objective of the invention to provide convenient storage for recyclable materials. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide means for preparing materials for recycling. It is a yet further objective of the invention to provide convenient and efficient locations of equipments for general use in housekeeping duties. It is still a further objective of the invention to provide a convenient view of a timepiece during work operations. It is a yet further object of the invention to provide convenient access to a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher during work operations. Its a still further objective of the invention to provide portability of a recycling and work center. It is a yet further objective of the invention to provide a conveniently accessible hand truck during work operations.